Recently, medical diagnostic apparatus provided with high temporal resolution as well as three-dimensional spatial resolution and configured to be able to generate so-called 4D (4th Dimension) images have developed remarkably. Consequently, for example, in examinations using an X-ray computerized tomography apparatus, it is becoming common practice as a mode of examination to generate 4D images while moving a joint area of a subject such as a wrist or an ankle.
Normally, when a medical image such as a 4D image described above or a 2D (2-Dimensional) image or 3D (3-Dimensional) image collected by a medical diagnostic apparatus in a certain time phase is displayed on a monitor or the like, the medical image is displayed at first in a fixed viewing direction based on a posture of the subject. Then, an operator sets a display direction of the medical image using a rotation function of an application or the like, causing the medical image to be displayed in a desired viewing direction for the operator.
However, the conventional technique, which displays the medical image in a fixed viewing direction based on the posture of the subject, does not display the medical image in the desired viewing direction for the operator. This makes it necessary for the operator to adjust the display direction each time the operator observes a subject.
Thus, there is demand for a medical image processing apparatus, X-ray computerized, tomography apparatus, and medical image processing method which can easily display medical images in a display direction in which the operator wants to observe the images.